Colocasia plant named ‘Distant Memory’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Colocasia  plant named ‘Distant Memory’ characterized by large, lustrous, heavily-dimpled, dark greyed-purple leaves; stemless, vigorous, tropical, perennial habit forming multiple shoots at base and multiple long spadix flowers surrounded by enrolled burgundy spathes. The new plant is useful in the landscape as a specimen, en masse, or in a container in the home or in the landscape.

Botanical classification: Colocasia hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Distant Memory’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with the U.S. Plant Patent Applications for two other plants from the same breeding program with the same parents, namely, Colocasia plant named ‘Black Goblet’ U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/932,772 and Colocasia plant named ‘Black Swan’ U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/932,163.

BACKGROUND OF THE PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct hybrid of Colocasia, hereinafter referred to by its cultivar name, ‘Distant Memory’. Colocasia is a tropical genus in the Araceae family.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program under the direction of the inventor at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA. The overall purpose of the breeding program was to make selections of Colocasia plants with colorful foliage, good growth rate that are well suited for landscape or containers. ‘Distant Memory’ arose from a cross performed in May 17, 2012 between Colocasia ‘Black Coral’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,896 as the female and the male parent was ‘Thailand Giant’ (not patented). ‘Distant Memory’ was given the breeder code 12-07-02 prior to naming.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by division in 2013 and later by in vitro propagation using shoot tip culture in 2014. To those skilled in the art shoot tip tissue culture produces propagules of identical characteristics to those of the original plant. Asexual propagation of ‘Black Swan’ by shoot tip tissue culture has shown that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and reproduce true to type in successive generations.

No plants of Colocasia ‘Distant Memory’ have been sold, in this country or anywhere in the world, prior to the filing of this application, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been made prior to the filing of this application except that which was disclosed within one year of the filing of this application, and was either derived directly or indirectly from the inventor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of Colocasia ‘Distant Memory’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, available water, fertility and light intensity without, however, any variation in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to comprise the unique characteristics of the new plant and distinguish it as a new and distinct Colocasia different from all other Colocasia known to the inventor:

-   -   1. Large, lustrous, heavily-dimpled, dark greyed-purple leaves;     -   2. Medium to large, upright, stemless, vigorous, tropical         perennial habit;     -   3. Multiple shoots forming at base;     -   4. Multiple, long, spadix per leaf axil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the unique traits and the overall appearance of Colocasia ‘Distant Memory’. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions of this type. Variations in ambient light spectrum, source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation in color. The plants used in the photograph were two-year-old plants grown initially in a greenhouse then set out in early summer in a shaded trial garden at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer when needed. No plant growth regulators or pinching have been used.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the flower with ruler for size reference.

FIG. 2 shows the habit of the new plant with heavily dimpled leaf blades.

The nearest comparison varieties known to the inventor are the co-pending siblings and ‘Black Sapphire Gecko’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,966.

In comparison to the female parent, ‘Black Coral’ the new plant is larger in habit and individual leaf blades, the leaf blades are more dimpled and held more horizontal in maturity and the plant habit produces greater number of side shoots filling out containers. In comparison to green-leafed male parent, ‘Thailand Giant’ the new plant is shorter with smaller leaves, has darker leaf blades and petioles and a lustrous adaxial leaf surface.

‘Distant Memory’ has larger leaf blades than ‘Black Sapphire Gecko’, the leaves are held more outright and less cernuous than ‘Black Sapphire Gecko’ and the new plant has more basal shoot development. Compared with ‘Black Swan’ the new plant is smaller in height and larger in width, with more basal side shoots filling in more at the base. Compared with ‘Black Goblet’ the new plant has a flatter and less cupped leaves, the leaves are more dimpled and the habit is broader with more basal side shoots.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of two-year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown initially in a greenhouse and then outdoors for the summer of the second season, in a shaded trial garden in Zeeland, Mich. No plant growth regulators have been used. Plants of the new cultivar have not been tested under all possible conditions. The phenotype may vary with changes in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions without change however in the genotype. The color reference is in accordance with the 2015 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general color dictionary terms are used.

-   Botanical designation: Colocasia hybrid; -   Cultivar denomination: ‘Distant Memory’; -   Parentage: The female or seed parent is ‘Black Coral’ and the male     or pollen parent is ‘Thailand Giant’; -   Asexual propagation: Shoot tip tissue culture; -   Time to initiate roots: About two weeks; -   Time to finish in a 7 liter container: About three months from a 2.5     cm plug; -   Growth rate: Vigorous; -   Plant habit: Tropical herbaceous perennial; upright; acaulescent;     upright; clumping; tuberous rhizomes formed at base of plant; -   Plant size: About 140.0 cm tall and about 190 cm wide at edges of     leaves; -   Root description: Thick, fleshy, limited branching; to about 25.0 cm     long; -   Root color: Between RHS 182A and RHS 183D; -   Foliage: Simple; alternate; petiolate; sagittate to cordate;     slightly and irregularly undulate; dimpled; base cordate to     auriculate, lobes frequently imbricate; apex broadly acute to     slightly cuspidate; margin entire; adaxial surface lustrous; abaxial     dull; both adaxial and abaxial glabrous; -   Leaf size: Average about 62.0 cm long and about 40.0 cm across; base     fused about 9.0 cm below petiole attachment; basal auricles     extending about 16.0 cm below petiole; -   Leaf attitude: Mostly outwardly to semi-upright; -   Leaf color: While still partially convolute adaxial nearest RHS 146D     with blushing of between RHS N186C and RHS N187B, abaxial nearest     blend of RHS 146D and RHS 148D with slight blushing of between RHS     N186C and RHS N186B; mature adaxial nearest RHS N186A, mature     abaxial blend between RHS 189A and RHS N186C; -   Veins: Pinnate; glabrous abaxial and adaxial; main veins broad,     nearly smooth adaxial and costate and rounded abaxial; abaxial     midrib to about 9.0 mm across, lateral pinnate veins to about 3.0 mm     across and secondary veins less than 0.3 mm across; adaxial midrib     about 8.0 mm across, lateral pinnate veins to about 2.5 mm across     and secondary veins less defined dimension; -   Vein color: Mature adaxial midrib and primary pinnate veins nearest     RHS N187B and secondary adaxial same as surrounding leaf tissue;     mature abaxial midrib and primary pinnate veins nearest RHS 187C     proximally and nearest RHS 187A distally, secondary veins same as     surrounding leaf tissue; emerging adaxial veins nearest RHS 195B,     emerging abaxial veins nearest RHS 194D; -   Petiole: Sarcous; concavo-convex to involute; petiole attitude     upright to semi-outright; average of about 82.0 cm in length, about     35 mm deep near base, about 30.0 mm across laterally at base and 6     mm across at blade; glabrous, glaucous abaxial and adaxial becoming     lustrous both surfaces; -   Petiole color: Abaxial proximally blend between N186A and RHS 187A,     distally becoming nearest RHS 187C; adaxial nearest blend between     RHS 187A and RHS N186A laterally and toward center nearest RHS 187B; -   Inflorescence description: Spadix with spathe; female portion     proximal to male portion on same peduncle; beginning to bloom about     mid-August once plants are mature; producing typically four     inflorescences per leaf axil. -   Inflorescence bud: Linear to clavate with swollen rounded base; apex     narrowly acute; about 22.0 cm long and about 2.2 cm wide in swollen     base; -   Bud color: Variable; between RHS 187A and RHS 187B in distal areas     and nearest RHS N187B in swollen base; -   Inflorescence size: To about 29.0 cm in length and 2.7 cm wide in     female portion and 1.9 cm wide in male portion; -   Flower fragrance: None detected; -   Lastingness of inflorescence: About 2 to 3 weeks. -   Flower quantity: Average of about 200 female sessile flowers sessile     to spadix; average about 500 sessile male flowers per spadix; -   Spathe: Hooded convolute bract subtending spadix and completely     enveloping spadix; lanceolate; with acute apex and truncate base;     margin entire; -   Spathe size: Average of about 22.0 cm in length, about 7.0 cm in     width if unrolled and 15.0 mm diameter at base when rolled; -   Spathe color: Abaxial nearest RHS N186D; adaxial nearest RHS 157B     toward center and marginally becoming blushed with nearest RHS 186A     to nearest RHS N186D on margin; -   Spadix: Male portion with acute apex, average about 5.5 cm in length     and 6.0 mm in width, color nearest RHS 157C; female portion     ellipsoidal in shape, an average of 3.0 cm in length and 14.0 mm in     width, color nearest RHS 161D; -   Reproductive organs: Have not been observed to develop; -   Fruit and seed: Have not been observed; -   Diseases and resistance: Resistance to pests and diseases beyond     that common for other Colocasia cultivars has not been observed. The     new plant is tropical and grows best with ample moisture, good     drainage and warm temperatures. The complete hardiness of the new     plant has not been tested. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Colocasia plant named ‘Distant Memory’ as herein illustrated and described. 